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Oct 25, 2023 · We will embark on a trip through time and sound as we examine the 30 most well-known black female R&B artists, highlighting the classic voices that have influenced the R&B genre and continue to win our hearts.
- Whitney Houston. Pop music, Dance-pop, Contemporary R&B. 3,224 votes. A legendary powerhouse vocalist who possessed an incredible range, control, and technical ability, she remains one of the best-selling music artists of all time with over 200 million records sold worldwide.
- Aretha Franklin. Pop music, Rock music, Rhythm and blues. 2,764 votes. The undisputed "Queen of Soul," her powerful, emotionally charged voice coupled with her unique gospel-inspired style transformed popular music throughout her six-decade-long career.
- Etta James. Rock music, Rhythm and blues, Rock and roll. 1,385 votes. A trailblazing pioneer of R&B and soul, her raw, emotive voice and powerful stage presence captivated audiences throughout her five decades in the industry.
- Ella Fitzgerald. Ballad, Swing music, Traditional pop music. 2,021 votes. The "First Lady of Song" and jazz icon, she not only possessed flawless vocal technique but also had impeccable diction and sophisticated phrasing that set her apart from other singers.
- Whitney Houston
- Aretha Franklin
- Beyoncé
- Toni Braxton
- Mariah Carey
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Chaka Khan
- Diana Ross
- Tina Turner
- Etta James
Up first, Whitney Houston, sometimes called the Voice, was and will always be one of the greatest and most influential black female singers of all time. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) deemed Houston the best-selling female artist of the 20th century in the R&B genre. With over 200 million record sales, she is undoubtedly in a ...
Queen of Soul Aretha Franklincertainly left her imprint on the world with her vocal range and ability to capture the crowd when she sang. She is consistently cited as being in the top ten for the 100 greatest singers ever. She started her career at 18 but found mainstream success in 1966. Some of her most notable singles are “Respect,” “(You Make M...
Beyoncé Knowles, or Queen Bey as many of her fans call her, became popular in the ’90s singing lead for Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling and most notable girl groups in history. When the group stopped recording for a few years, Knowles released her debut album in 2003, Dangerously in Love. Since then, she has sold 120 million records world...
Our third singer, Toni Braxton, started out singing with her sisters during the ’80s in a group called “The Braxtons.” After she left the group in 1991, she started a solo career. Braxton released her eponymous solo debut album in 1993. It reached #1 on the Billboard200, and she earned three Grammy Awards after it sold more than 10 million copies i...
Songbird Supreme Mariah Careyhas one of the most intricate voices of all time. Often compared to Whitney Houston, everyone is enamored with Carey’s long vocal runs, five-octave range, and her signature whistle register. In 1990, when she released her self-titled album, it was clear that she was special. She was the only singer to have her first fiv...
Known as Lady Ella, Ella Fitzgeraldwas a jazz singer that earned the additional moniker as the Queen of Jazz. After having her debut in 1934, she found national fame after releasing her version of “A-Tisket, A-Tasket.” She initially started with the Chick Webb Orchestra and took over the band after Webb died. Then in 1942, she decided to launch a s...
Yvette Marie Stephens, or as we know her, Chaka Khan, has had an illustrious career lasting over 50 years, selling more than 70 million records. A truly gifted singer, Khan is also called the Queen of Funk for her role as lead singer in the 1970s funk band Rufus. After Rufus, Khan released her first album, Chaka, in 1978, and it featured one of her...
Up next, we have Diana Ross. She was originally a member of the Supremes during the ’60s, which is still considered the most accomplished female group ever. They have 12 hit singles on the Billboard100. Ross started her solo career in 1970. Since then, she has recorded 25 albums, with her most popular song being “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” fro...
Queen of Rock and Roll Tina Turnergained renown as the lead singer of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. Her first big break came as a member of Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm in 1957. In 1960, she introduced herself to the world as Tina Turner with the hit song and duet “A Fool in Love.” Before disbanding the group in tandem, Ike and Turner would go on ...
Jamesetta Hawkins, better known by her professional name Etta James, is one of the most versatile singers. She was talented enough to delve into several genres such as R&B, gospel, rock and roll, jazz, and blues. James began her musical career in 1954 and gained national fame her first album, At Last!, which was released in the late ’60s and was no...
- Alicia Keys. Alicia Keys became an international star with her singular mix of classic and contemporary R&B. Behind the number one pop hit "Fallin," her debut album, Songs in A Minor, sold more than 50,000 copies during its first day of availability in 2001 and eventually moved over ten million units worldwide, thus setting the stage for the then-20-year-old's long career.
- Aretha Franklin. Aretha Franklin is one of the giants of soul music, and indeed of American pop as a whole. More than any other performer, she epitomized soul at its most gospel-charged.
- Bessie Smith. The first major blues and jazz singer on record and one of the most powerful of all time, Bessie Smith rightly earned the title of "The Empress of the Blues."
- Beyoncé. One of the most recognizable figures in contemporary music, Beyoncé rose to fame as the central member of pop-R&B group Destiny's Child before embarking on a multi-platinum, record-breaking solo career in 2001.
- Natalie Cole. Natalie Cole’s debut 1975 album Inseparable spawned two number-one hits, including the ubiquitous “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love),” and two Grammys.
- Roberta Flack. Classical pianist Roberta Flack gained notice for her exquisite arrangements of folk, pop and blues songs. Flack’s subtle vocal phrasings place the lyrics at center stage, and her delivery in songs like Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Until It’s Time for You to Go” and Janis Ian’s “Jesse” is downright heartbreaking.
- Betty Wright. Southern soul singer-songwriter Betty Wright sounded more like a middle-aged auntie and less like the 17 year-old she was when “Clean Up Woman” was released in 1971.
- Minnie Riperton. A high, whistle register singing style might have been a shtick for a less talented singer. But for Minnie Riperton, it was just one facet of her luxuriant and masterful voice.
Dec 19, 2023 · 37 Best Black Female Singers Of All Time - Music Grotto. Home » Singing. 37 Best Black Female Singers Of All Time. By Liam Flynn. December 19, 2023. There would be a gaping hole in the music industry without the talent and artistry exuded by Black female singers.
Oct 26, 2020 · Black Female Performers From The '80s | Essence. Home • ESSENCE Black Women in Music. Where Are They Now? Black Female Performers From The '80s. The nine Black performers won our hearts...